As is known in the art, there are many of types of artificial light sources. Exemplary sources of artificial light include incandescent, fluorescent, and high-intensity discharge (HID) light sources such as mercury vapor, metal hallide, high-pressure sodium and low-pressure sodium light sources.
Fluorescent and HID light sources or lamps are generally driven with a ballast which includes various inductive, capacitive and resistive elements. The ballast circuit provides a predetermined level of current to the lamp for proper lamp operation. The ballast circuit may also provide initial voltage and current levels that differ from operational levels. For example, in so-called rapid start applications, the ballast heats the cathode of the lamp with a predetermined current flow prior to providing a strike voltage to the lamp. Thereafter, the ballast provides operational levels of voltage and current to the lamp thereby causing the lamp to emit visible light.
One type of ballast circuit is a magnetic or inductive ballast. One problem associated with magnetic ballasts is the relatively low operational frequency which results in a relatively inefficient lighting system. Magnetic ballasts also incur substantial heat losses thereby further reducing the lighting efficiency. Another drawback associated with magnetic ballasts is the relatively large size of the inductive elements.
To overcome the low efficiency associated with magnetic ballasts, various attempts have been made to replace magnetic ballasts with electronic ballasts. Electronic ballasts energize the lamps with a relatively high frequency signal and provide strike voltages for instant-start lamp operation.
One type of electronic ballast includes inductive and capacitive elements coupled to a lamp. The ballast provides voltage and current signals having a frequency corresponding to a resonant frequency of the ballast-lamp circuit. As known to one of ordinary skill in the art, the various resistive, inductive and capacitive circuit elements determine the resonant frequency of the circuit. Such circuits generally have a half bridge or full bridge configuration that includes switching elements for controlling operation of the circuit.
An electronic ballast may operate in a start-up mode known as instant-start operation. In instant-start mode, the ballast provides a voltage level sufficient to initiate current flow through the lamp to cause the lamp to emit light, i.e., a strike voltage. An exemplary strike voltage is about 500 volts RMS. After application of the strike voltage, the ballast provides an operational voltage level, e.g., 140 volts RMS to the lamp.
Where a ballast energizes a plurality of lamps, the lamps are preferably coupled to the ballast such that each lamp operates independently. With this approach, failure or removal of one lamp does not affect other lamps. In addition to independent operation of each of the lamps, the ballast circuit should also provide a strike voltage to lamp terminals from which a lamp has been removed. A steady state strike voltage at the lamp terminals causes a lamp to emit light when the lamp is placed in contact with the lamp terminals.
In one known circuit arrangement, an output isolation transformer is used for energizing one or more lamps. A series-coupled first lamp and first buffer capacitor are coupled across a winding of the isolation transformer. Additional series-coupled lamps and buffer capacitors can be coupled across the transformer. The transformer provides a strike voltage, such as about 500 volts, across the series-coupled lamps and buffer capacitors to light the lamps as they are placed in circuit. When current begins to flow through the lamps, however, the voltage across the lamps drops to an operational level, 140 volts for example. The remainder of the 500 volts appears across the buffer capacitor resulting in relatively inefficient circuit operation. To provide a steady state strike voltage at the lamp terminals, a relatively large transformer is required. As understood to one of ordinary skill in the art, the large transformer generates significant heat that must be dissipated to prevent overheating of the circuit. Thus, the isolation transformer can be a significant factor in the overall size and cost of the ballast circuit.
It would be desirable to provide a relatively compact and low cost ballast circuit that provides independent operation and instant-start voltages to each of a plurality of lamps or other loads driven by the ballast circuit.